Funeral Directors

Registered Users

Funeral Directors are appointed as Division Registrars of Deaths under the Vital Statistics Act. As Division Registrars, they assume responsibility for certain activities when someone dies and is entrusted to their care. For example, the Funeral Director is responsible to obtain the Medical Certificate of Death and to collect personal information to complete the Death Registration form and issue a Burial Permit.

Licensing and Registration

Division Registrars for Deaths must hold a valid Funeral Director's Licence issued by the N.S. Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors and be approved by the N.S. Deputy Registrar General of Vital Statistics.

Registered Users

Burial Permit

The Vital Statistics Act requires that a burial permit must be issued prior to the interment of a body. The burial of a body without the receipt of a burial permit is a contravention of the Vital Statistics Act. The electronic death registration system allows funeral directors to generate and print burial permits quickly and accurately.

Legislation

Listed below are links to the legislative acts that apply to funeral directors in Nova Scotia.